


First Meetings

by TwinVax



Series: Critrole Stories [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: First Meetings, Fluff, Gen, Scanlan isnt really happy, Trinket is still sweet, bear hatred, calm before the shit, gnome terror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-19 10:59:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8203231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwinVax/pseuds/TwinVax
Summary: Before their first adventure together, Scanlan decides to follow a half elf to the forest to meet his sister, and ends up also meeting Trinket, who happens to be a very big bear. Lucky him.





	

When Vax had told Scanlan his sister was in the woods when he had asked where he was going, he wondered about what reason there would be for being there instead of where she was supposed to be getting the actual job from. That's why he had tagged along with the rogue, to see what would make her stay behind, he was a curious gnome after all. No other reason for it then that, he felt like Vax would stab him if he had a reason that involved literally anything else Scanlan would come up with to explain him coming along.

Needless to say, he wasn't exactly happy being stuck with a bunch of random people. It wasn't the ideal situation he had thought would come about when he left his troupe for what he considered some time off, just for some new surroundings and new people that could help him de-stress. The job paid well though, which would probably allow for him to have a bit of _fun_ along the way with his earnings. If he was lucky anyway, and he usually was.

That didn't matter though, he wasn't thinking about what he left behind, he couldn't do that right now. He could think about it later, find the troupe later, he just needed to focus on doing the current job and getting his share before he left for bigger and greater things.

In any case, he followed the rogue to the edge of the forest, having to run to keep up when he realized Vax wouldn't actually wait for the poor gnome, the asshole. He only just managed to stop beside the half elf and try to catch his breath when he almost jumped out of his skin from the shrill whistle that escaped Vax's lips before he stood still, watching the forest, "They'll be here in a moment." he told Scanlan, the gnome himself standing straight, his breathing relaxed and calm.

He heard something moving in the trees, prompting him to give the half elf next to him a hesitant smile, "They?" he asked, though Vax didn't answer because he was weird and was watching the trees with a small smile instead of cluing him in, "I thought you only had one, do you have a whole group of ladies accompanying you?" he mused, sly smirk on his face.

Vax glanced at him, but before he could open his mouth to give a retort, a literal _bear_ loped out of the woods towards him, and he kneeled down so he could wrap his arms around its neck in a hug, "Hey buddy, where's your buddy?"

"I would assume back inside the woods." Scanlan muttered, intimately aware of just how big the beast was compared to him, and very much not interested in getting in its way in case it wanted a gnome snack.

The bear roared, it was a quiet happy roar, but Scanlan still flinched away from it, its mouth was bigger then his whole body, and turned when a female half elf that looked identical to Vax walked out of the woods in the same path the bear had taken.

Scanlan guessed to the logical conclusion that they were twins, which was wonderful. Though he usually liked it better in other situations that didn't involve a _fucking bear_. Hard enough telling elves apart, much less half elven siblings.

Vax'ildan's sister, Vex'ahlia he remembered her being called, which made identifying them worse if he shortened the names, noticed him standing a few feet away, seeming to almost immediately be suspicious of him. In hindsight, it was very perceptive of her to be untrusting, but then again, he wasn't a bear. "Brother, who is this?" she asked, rubbing the head of the fluffy monster in what Scanlan would be horrified to consider _fond_.  

Vax shrugged, standing up with one last pat to the muzzle of the bear, where Scanlan seriously worried there was a chance he would lose that hand, "We just got hired for a job sister, there's a few others who are joining us though. The other three are waiting at the tavern."

Scanlan waved, a nice safe distance away from the murder animal, "Hey, I'm Scanlan, nice to meet you." he said, suave as he ever was.

Vex's glare made him worry that being smooth was a shit move, but before he could try something different, she sighed, "I suppose if we must share our reward." she looked down at the bear, Scanlan's sense of calm broken when she spoke again, "Trinket! Say hello to Scanlan wont you?"

The bear, Trinket now, because a bear needed a cute name to be even more terrifying, damn the universe, turned his attention to Scanlan, who very quickly had regretted coming along to be there, all his thoughts on that no one would know he disappeared if a bear ate him near the woods, before the bear made a noise at Vex as he (she?) shuffled over to Scanlan to stand right in front of the frozen bard. For a second Scanlan stared until Trinket opened his mouth and roared, sweeping his hair back from the force of the sound before his face got mercilessly licked. Scanlan was horrified, covered in saliva all over his face with the fear of the Gods that a bear would be the thing that ate and killed him.

"I don't...taste...good." he whimpered, lamely, when Trinket nuzzled him hard enough to send him onto his ass, loose fur mixed with saliva now covered all over him as the bear continued to groan and nuzzle him even while lying down.

Vex scoffed, sounding personally offended, "Trinkets a good boy, he would never eat people."

Vax laughed, smirk on the rogues face that frankly worried Scanlan the fuck out, "He's spoiled with all the food we give him that gnome would probably make him sick." he stated, deadpan, making it so much harder for Scanlan to tell if he was joking.

Vex sighed, but she didn't jump to deny it and make Scanlan not feel sick as she patted her leg, getting Trinkets attention away from tasting gnome, "Come back to mommy dear. I fear you may need a bath soon if your uncle teases him any more." her gaze swept over to her brother, hardening into a glare as her hand went to pet Trinkets back, "Don't scare him off brother, Trinket would never dare eat anyone, he's a good boy. Besides, if the job is so difficult it requires more then just us, we may need him."

“Thanks.” Scanlan muttered as he picked himself up. He kept the wince off his face when he noticed his clothing was soaked with slobber, it was disgusting and he was going to need new clothes and a bath because of a stupid bear, “So uh, are you bringing the bear with us or will you leave it?” he hoped it wasn’t coming.

The look he got from Vex was affronted like he had personally insulted her, while Vax looked faintly alarmed, “Why would I leave Trinket? Of course he’s coming with us, I’m not just going to leave him all alone with no one to care for him!”

Scanlan held up his hands to appear placating, “Ok, just asking, its cool.” he lied, knowing a losing battle when he sees one. He honestly just wants to change before his clothing freezes to his body forever.

Vex smiled as she turned her attention back to her brother, “Who are the others sharing our payment?” she asked, seemingly done with introductions and pleasantries.

Vax shrugged, looking back the way they had come, “A half elf druid, Goliath and a red Dragonborn. He’s from Draconia.” he said, his accent dropped briefly to sound overly haughty. Scanlan was fairly amused that he had only spoken a few words to the guy and had still managed to imitate the man.

Scanlan was fairly sure he had called himself Tiberius in his long obvious introduction, but he stopped paying attention after the second time he said it. Not like he was going to know any of these people long anyway.

Vex hummed, petting Trinket’s back, “Lovely. We should go and meet them before we get going. Scanlan, would you like to ride Trinket so you won’t have to chase after us? We tend to move quickly and we haven’t a moment to waste.” she offered.

Scanlan shook his head, no way was he getting on that thing or riding it, that was both demeaning and suicidal, “No thanks, I like running.” he replied, taking a few steps further away from the fluffy murder machine.

Vex smiled, and he knew she didn’t believe him, because she walked right in front of him and kneeled to look him in the eye, “I promise my baby wont eat you, no matter what his uncle says. He is wonderful, don’t worry about it darkling.” she winked, and Scanlan had never felt more worried in his life. This woman had a bear and the most intimidating thing about her was that he was completely sure she had probably killed someone with a wink alone.

He felt like he shouldn’t find that sexy, but he did and he really needed to figure out his priorities right now because she could actually kill him.

He smirked right back at her, because fuck it he could do it too if she was going to play that game, and sighed a bit to dramatically, “I’d rather not, but I guess if your going to be like that, how can I say no?” he purred.

She laughed at him as she stood up and oh shit. He was doomed, he was going to die because he was an idiot and she had a bow and a pet bear.

Vax walked over and Scanlan was suddenly being hoisted up into the air under the rogues arm like a ball, and he wasn’t sure if he should be annoyed or grateful, “Yeah, perhaps lets not do that.” he suggested, brotherly protectiveness evident enough for the bard to actually feel radiating off him, “We should get back now before the others come looking. Take enough time for this guy to clean himself up after Trinkets greeting yeah? You can even figure out what’s up with the others.”

Vex'ahlia smiled, giving Trinket another pat on the head before she climbed onto his back herself, “I think I may just do that, wonderful idea brother.”

Vax started walking back towards town, the bear keeping pace easily with him, “Thanks Stubby.” he said.

Scanlan kept his mouth shut, deciding not to complain about being carried around like a toy ball. He was sure that if the job he was hired to do didn’t kill him, these people would, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

The trip to the forest had changed his mind a little though. It made him accept the fact he was placed with a group of weirdos a bit more, and he quite liked entertaining the idea of being their bard. He might not ever spend much time with them or know them for long, but he wasn’t one to turn down an opportunity

 _It might even end up being fun_ he mused on the walk back to the group.


End file.
